Vul ·ner·a·bil·i·ty the quality or state of being exposed to the possibility of being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally:
A recent discussion on vulnerability in our Bible study class stirred my thoughts on the importance of confessing our faults and shortcomings to each other. It reminds me of the extent of making ourselves vulnerable to others as a vital sign of personal spiritual growth.
Take note of the words expressed by James 5:16: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces incredible results.
Even so, our human perspective tends to focus on only physical healing, but as you know, this scripture is not limited to physical healing but also our mental and social health.
It is impossible to avoid vulnerable situations because we are in contact with others regularly. Although these encounters will happen, you can still choose how to respond. God tells Paul about his thorn experience, "God's power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Vulnerability is not a detriment but the ultimate empowerment for us to allow God to reign in and through us.
An aspect of practicing Vulnerability is affected by a society that celebrates human attributes such as independence, autonomy, and self-sufficiency, and guarding one's emotions, which, for Christians, stunts their spiritual growth, making them ineffective in power and producing incredible results. Moreover, it seems like a daunting task to open ourselves up emotionally to others with the possibility of rejection, ridicule, and losing relationships.
Are there Biblical examples that help further our understanding? Yes.
Although being vulnerable seems like a solo act, we have help from Jesus to light the way to our freedom. In sharing the Gospel message, Jesus practiced vulnerability in his daily interactions with people from all walks of life. His vulnerability shows an act of willing submission to his Father as he went to Calvary, an ultimate display of submitting himself to open rebuke, scorn, suffering, and hatred for our sakes.
Furthermore, Hebrews speaks of Jesus being our "great high priest" because He can sympathize with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15). To become more like Jesus is to lay down our lives, take up our cross, and become weak. When we are weak, we are strong because God's grace is sufficient for us (2 Corinthians 12:9-11). As we follow Jesus and obey Him, our faith and trust in Him will increase.
Jesus made himself vulnerable to purchase our redemption. Practicing and living a life that embraces vulnerability is much more than individual unburdening of emotional selves; it exists for the good of the community (www.the gospel coalition.org).
Lilianna Hogan's article How To Be Vulnerable gives three examples of the armor we use to protect and defend our emotional selves.
- Striving for perfection. Most people think they can avoid being seen if they can become perfect.
- Numbing out. While this effectively minimizes the gravity of negative emotions, it also numbs out positive emotions.
- Imagining all the ways things can go wrong, catastrophizing. Instead of being vulnerable and accepting how precarious your happiness and the things you love are, you beat Vulnerability to the punch.
Might I remind you that God has given us His Whole Armor? Ephesians 6:10-18 protects us from certain death and ensures that we can stand against the enemy's strategies in God's mighty power and not our own. Even amid vulnerable situations, we are still victorious.
John Bevere, in his book The Bait of Satan, relates that knowledge without the love of God will lead to deception, especially from false prophets. Jesus warns us, "Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many" (Matthew 24:11).
The words expressed in your reading will increase your spiritual understanding. This understanding is my prayer for you.
Growing in God's Love,
Minister Sylvia Joyner
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